A 47-year-old foreign national was arrested in the Johannesburg CBD following the rescue of 10 half-naked teenage boys in what police suspect is a human trafficking case.
The arrest followed a swift, multi-agency operation that unfolded after Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers stumbled upon a disturbing scene during routine patrols in Mulbarton, south of Johannesburg.
All teens are foreign nationals
According to police, members of JMPD were alerted to a bizarre scenario along Broad Street, where they encountered eight teenage boys walking barefoot and half-naked.
Further questioning revealed that the boys were foreign nationals who could not speak English.
Police were then informed that two other teenagers had already been taken away in a blue VW Jetta.
“The vehicle was later spotted and intercepted. But the driver fled, leading officers on a high-speed chase,” said Colonel Katlego Mogale.
Suspect nabbed in a police chase
“The pursuit ended in Commissioner Street, where the suspect was arrested and the two remaining half-naked teenagers were rescued.”
The operation was a joint effort involving Fox Security, JMPD, SAPS Mondeor and the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit, specifically the trafficking in persons section.
Mogale said the coordinated response was crucial.
“This arrest and rescue highlight the importance of multi-disciplinary cooperation in the fight against trafficking in persons,” she said.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Booysens Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. He will be charged with being in the country illegally and suspected trafficking in persons.
Investigations are ongoing.
Over 20 border jumpers arrested
Gauteng Hawks Provincial Head, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, welcomed the arrest. He praised the teams involved for their decisive action in combating human trafficking in the province.
Meanwhile, heightened border surveillance at the Beitbridge Border Post resulted in the arrest of 25 people. The undocumented migrants were intercepted after drones operated by the Border Management Authority (BMA) detected illegal crossings from Zimbabwe.
The incident occurred on Monday during a period of heavy traffic, as thousands of travellers were returning to their destinations.
BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato was on site at the Beitbridge Port of Entry in Limpopo at the time.
The BMA confirmed the arrests in a post on X. It said its deployed technology enabled officials to identify a group of migrants attempting to enter South Africa through nearby bushes.
